Cannabis regulator moves ahead with Rs200m refurbishment plan

ISLAMABAD: The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the cabinet has approved an additional Rs100 million for the Cannabis Control and Regulatory Authority (CCRA) to help complete renovation work at its headquarters and make the remaining facilities operational.

According to details placed before the economic decision-making body, the authority plans to spend Rs200 million on renovating the building it has taken over from the Ministry of Science and Technology. The property previously housed the now-defunct Pakistan Council for Renewable Energy Technologies.

The ECC was informed that the CCRA had sought an extra Rs200 million through a Technical Supplementary Grant (TSG) during the current fiscal year to finish the renovation and operationalise the remaining facilities. However, the summary considered by the cabinet committee was titled "Requirement of Additional Funds Amounting to Rs100 million in favour of Cannabis Control & Regulatory Authority through TSG" and the proposal was approved.

Officials told the committee that the CCRA had been set up under the Cabinet Division and that its headquarters would be located in Islamabad. The authority may also establish offices in other parts of the country as it may deem fit.

The meeting was told that although the authority had sought Rs1,000 million, the Finance Division allocated Rs200 million for the current fiscal year 2025-26. It was further stated that after formally taking possession of the former renewable energy council building, the CCRA found that the existing layout would need to be redesigned to suit the specific office requirements of its headquarters.

Funding arrangement placed before ECC

The Cabinet Division, citing financial constraints, arranged Rs100 million from its own funding demand and surrendered that amount in favour of the CCRA under a technical supplementary grant. The ECC was then asked to approve the allocation of the surrendered Rs100 million so the authority could complete the renovation and operationalise the remaining facilities.

The committee subsequently approved the request.

Authority’s legal framework and board structure

The report also noted that former president Dr Arif Alvi had promulgated an ordinance for the establishment of the Cannabis Control and Regulatory Authority. The body was created to supervise and regulate the cultivation, extraction, medical and industrial use, as well as the sale, of cannabis plants.

Under the ordinance, the authority will function under a 13-member board of governors headed by the secretary of the Defence Division. Its members include the cabinet secretary, the law and justice secretary, and the secretary of national food security and research.

The board also includes the chief secretaries of the four provinces, two private-sector members, and representatives of the Inter-Services Intelligence, Intelligence Bureau, Anti-Narcotics Force, and Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan.

Its mandate includes advising the federal government on cannabis-related matters, including policy decisions and any amendments or omissions. The board is also empowered to issue licences.

At the national level, the government is to formulate a policy governing the cultivation, sale and production of cannabis plants. Under the ordinance, licences will be issued for a period of five years.